How to Be a Nurse Assistant: Making a Difference in Long Term Care

By Margaret Casey-Mederios

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0970521944
• ISBN13: 9780970521941
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Amer Health Care Assn
• Length: 502 Pages
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.3" x 0.8" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

balancing the skills of nursing with the art of caregiving

This is published by the non-profit American Health Care Association, the trade association for nursing homes. The book stresses that learning the technical skills of nursing is not enough. You must balance the skills of nursing with the art of caregiving. What that means is described in the philosophy of "mindful caregiving": even in routine situations you need to keep the resident in mind--what are their needs, has their condition changed since you saw them last, are their any special instructions you need to follow for their care, etc. You need to treat each resident as an individual and a person worthy of respect and caring, not simply as one more job to check off. In conjunction with this philosophy, the book teaches the importance of attitude through case studies and examples found throughout the book. The procedures go beyond the "how" to the "why." For example, in the stand pivot transfer you are told to position one of your legs between the resident's legs and the other close to the target you are moving the resident to. Why? Because it gives you more control over the speed and direction of the movement. In this emphasis on mindful caregiving, attitude, and respect for the individual, this book sets itself apart from its competitors. There is a new 4th edition that covers sub-acute care out in July 2008.